NEW DELHI: Rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav has questioned his party's decision to remove him as its parliamentary party leader in the Rajya Sabha, saying it was against its constitution and insisted that a majority of party members are with him.
Yadav today released his rejoinder, which was also sent to Rajya Sabha Chairman M venkaiah Naidu and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar, to Lok Sabha member Kaushalendra Kumar's letter to him on August 11, informing him of his removal.
"You have no moral or legal authority to issue the aforesaid letter to me and the same is against the provisions of the party's constitution for which appropriate action is being proposed by its office bearers...," Yadav has written.
It is not him, but Nitish and Kaushalendra Kumar who have abandoned JD(U)'s basic principles and have voluntarily given up its membership, Yadav said.
"It appears that driven by pure political opportunism the faction led by Nitish Kumar has voluntarily left the membership of the Janata Dal (United)," he said.
Yadav noted that his faction had already moved the Election Commission, claiming that a majority of party members is supporting him and its symbol should be allotted to his faction.
His close aide Javed Raza, who was recently axed from the post of party's general secretary, said only the party's parliamentary board can take a decision regarding Yadav's removal and parliamentary party cannot take it.
The JD(U) had replaced Yadav with Nitish Kumar confidant R C P Singh as its leader in the Rajya Sabha following the veteran leader's opposition to the alliance with the BJP.